Romanian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Dragoș Benea has been ranked among the country’s ten most influential lawmakers in the European Parliament, according to the 2026 edition of the MEP Influence Index published by the Brussels-based political analysis platform Eumatrix.eu.
The ranking evaluates MEPs using three main criteria: their legislative and institutional activity—including committee leadership, rapporteurships and interinstitutional cooperation—the extent of stakeholder engagement during the legislative process, and their voting activity in the European Parliament.
According to the Eumatrix analysis, European Parliament Vice-President Victor Negrescu ranks first among Romanian MEPs. Several other Romanian members of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) Group also feature in the top ten.
The report highlights Benea’s role as Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development (REGI). In the sector-specific ranking covering regional development and rural policy, the Romanian MEP is placed first.
Commenting on the results, Benea said the ranking reflects the work carried out within the REGI Committee and thanked his team of advisers and parliamentary assistants for their contribution.
He also argued that, amid the current geopolitical environment, EU cohesion policy and European funding have returned to the forefront of discussions on the future of the European Union, emphasizing their importance for Romania’s development.
Eumatrix is an independent Brussels-based platform specializing in the analysis of European Union institutions and the assessment of the influence and performance of Members of the European Parliament. Its rankings are based on quantitative and qualitative indicators, including legislative activity, leadership positions, institutional networks and participation in the EU decision-making process.
